This Is What a Mom's 'Bikini Body' Really Looks Like! (PHOTO)​

A photo of a mom in a bikini -- stretch marks, "saggy belly button" and all -- has gone viral, and is inspiring other mothers to flaunt their bodies flaws and all. The woman in the pic is Rachel Hollis, a 32-year-old mother of three and founder of the lifestyle blog The Chic Site. Her husband had taken this photo during a recent vacation in Cancun.

Advertisement

At first, Hollis admits, she'd been hoping her husband would get a more flattering photo. But this picture felt real, so she posted it on her Facebook page with an inspiring caption, below:

What I love most is that this mom isn't just showing pride in her body. By re-spinning stretch marks as stripes, she's showing pride in being a mom. And that's refreshing! Most times, I feel like I'm apologizing for my motherhood status -- saying "sorry" when my stroller takes up 75 percent of the sidewalk, curbing the number of baby photos I post on Facebook for fear of boring my non-parent friends, and all in all feeling guilty that I've let my life be consumed by this little person who's become the center of my universe.

But hey, that's motherhood for you. And it's something we should feel proud of, not apologize for. So thank you, bikini mom, for stepping forward with your tiger stripes. I may not go buy a bikini, but your message is not lost on me.